Resources

This qualitative research looked at how being separated from their families affects male refugees living in the UK. Men make up the majority of asylum seekers in the UK and Europe; evidence suggests that men are more likely to seek asylum first to establish legal status and later bring their families to join them. However, there isn’t much research exploring men’s experiences after migrating. What’s more, male asylum-seekers often face negative stereotypes and media portrayals and marginalisation in the countries where they seek safety.

This collection of global research provides further evidence to the Helen Bamber Foundation’s recommendations that people seeking asylum in the UK should have access to quality, suitable housing in communities (not camps or hotels), and the use of immigration detention should be significantly reduced.

This is the first research project to explore asylum-seekers' personal experiences and perceptions of undergoing a medico-legal reports (MLR). We interviewed six people to understand how asylum-seekers make sense of and experience undergoing an MLR, and specifically which parts may be distressing or potentially therapeutic.

The purpose of this study, undertaken by the University of Birmingham and Helen Bamber Foundation, was to ascertain whether it was possible to assess the extent of caseworkers’ adherence with the interview guidelines, based on an examination of interview transcripts. The study focused on interviews with sexual and gender-based violence because previous research identified that survivors found interviews particularly traumatic.

The current state of immigration and asylum advice is dire – 63% of the population in England and Wales do not have access to an immigration and asylum legal aid provider. Even those that do live near one of the remaining providers face significant barriers in accessing legally aided advice, due to saturated provider capacity precipitated by years of unsustainable legal aid fees, heavy administrative burdens and burnt-out practitioners.

Since 2020, the UK government has used former military barracks and a barge, the Bibby Stockholm, to house asylum seekers. These mass containment sites are not suitable accommodation for anyone seeking asylum, and they are particularly damaging for people with trauma and poor health.

In a first of its kind research study in the UK, clinical psychologists at the Helen Bamber Foundation have found that the age assessment process has a profound and harmful impact on the mental health of unaccompanied children seeking asylum.

This research involved speaking to refugees and asylum seekers at different stages of the asylum process in the UK about the full trajectory of their health-care journeys in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the current barriers to healthcare as well as of who and what helps refugees and people seeking asylum facilitate access to and navigate the health system.

This paper reviews the existing and emerging applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the context of asylum. The use of AI in processing asylum claims could address some of the challenges faced by decision-makers, but the application of AI requires careful implementation, keeping human rights and ethical considerations at the forefront.

This editorial looks at the importance of health care professionals and NHS trusts in facilitating access to independent immigration advice and support for individuals with uncertain immigration status, given how much of a risk factor unresolved immigration issues are when it comes to mental health.

Accounts by those seeking asylum are often challenged by the Home Office (HO) because of apparent inconsistencies and lack of credibility. Yet the ability to disclose everything at initial interview can be impacted by many factors. This study explores how applicants experienced interviews with the HO and its effects.